Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet potatoes are so naturally, well, sweet, that they are nicely complemented by savory spices or perfected with candylike glazes.

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Photo By: Armando Rafael Moutela ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved. 2014, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Photo By: Evan Sung for The New York Times

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Patti LaBelle's mashed sweet potatoes are simple and comforting with warm cinnamon and sugar, but the real kicker is orange zest on top.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Aioli

Spruce up baked sweet potato fries with a quick, semi-homemade garlic aioli. Just combine store-bought mayonnaise with grated garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. 

Get the Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Aioli

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Orange Essence

Those who crave the decadence of mashed potatoes but are seeking a decidedly healthier alternative will take well to this zesty, spice-filled recipe. Ellie Krieger uses just a scant amount of buttermilk to give extra body to the overall dish.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Orange Essence

Sweet Potatoes Anna

This classic, layered recipe makes a gorgeous addition to any table. Simplify your life by slicing the potatoes with a mandoline –– it will shave hours off your prep time and ensure that all the slices will be equal in size.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potatoes Anna

Sweet Potato Salad

Kelsey roasts diced sweet potatoes alongside pears and beets until they all are soft and caramelized. Tossed in a zippy vinaigrette, this simple side dish can be made in just one hour.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Po-Tater Tots

Ditch the frozen bag and fry up crisp nuggets of sweet potato and onion. They will be a surprising addition to the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Po-Tater Tots

Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ellie coats red-skinned sweet potatoes with honey and lemon juice (the acid brings out their natural sweetness) before roasting them in a 350-degree oven.

Get the Recipe: Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Have a free afternoon? Make gnocchi. The labor-intensive recipe is worth the effort –– it tastes of everything fall (sweet potatoes, maple syrup, cinnamon and sage), though it's delicious in any season.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

A smoky-sweet combination of cinnamon and chili powder will perk up your taste buds in this satisfying (and healthy) craving-buster.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ching uses her two favorite spices —– cumin and Sichuan peppercorns —– to add flavor and a bit of heat to her sweet potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

This sweet rendition of twice-stuffed potatoes is all decked out in holiday flavors with nutty brown butter and warm spices.

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Sweet and Spicy Walnuts

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

A cross between a side dish and dessert, this easy casserole is layered with thick rounds of sweet potatoes, yams and Red Delicious apples that soak up a citrus-spiked cinnamon and honey glaze.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Alton Brown's smashed sweet potatoes recipe is easy to make and loaded with flavor. You'll love the spicy and sweet combo, too.

Get the Recipe: Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Southern Style Candied Yams with Gingersnap Crunch

Sweet and sticky — the way indulgent holiday sides should be — these candied yams are topped with crunchy, spicy gingersnap cookies full of wintry flavor.

Get the Recipe: Southern Style Candied Yams with Gingersnap Crunch

Oven-Dried Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Intensify the earthy flavor of sweet potatoes by baking them twice. A touch of sherry and brown butter adds depth to the dish.

Get the Recipe: Oven-Dried Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas With Honey

Surprise guests and satisfy those with a few extra sweet teeth with a mash containing both sweet potatoes and bananas. The fruit adds an unusual sweetness, perfectly matched by a brown sugar and crumbled pecan crust.

Get the Recipe: Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Cinnamon

Sugar and spice make these sweet potatoes quite nice and fit for serving at the holiday meal. A simple drizzle of oil, honey and cinnamon readies these taters for roasting.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Cinnamon

Vanilla Sweet Potato Puree

Reinvent the kitschy marshmallow-covered sweet potato casserole by adding vanilla beans to a sweet potato puree.

Get the Recipe: Vanilla Scented Sweet Potato Puree

Sweet Potato Casserole

A rich, nicely spiced sweet potato filling is topped with crunchy brown sugar streusel for an irresistible side dish that'll become a family favorite.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole

Pecans and Spiced Maple Sweet Potatoes

Aida tops perfectly roasted sweet potatoes with a spiced maple syrup sauce and crunchy, toasted pecans.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Spiced Maple Sauce

Double Potato Mash

Nigella's simple mash recipe calls for both sweet and white potatoes, as well as subtly spicy ground mace. By finishing the dish with freshly ground white pepper, she gives the spuds an extra kick.

Get the Recipe: Double Potato Mash

Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Chipotle pepper puree adds a smoky element to thinly sliced sweet potatoes that are simply layered with heavy cream and baked until tender and browned on top.

Get the Recipe: Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Just a tablespoon of Sichuan peppercorns gives Roger Mooking's sweet potatoes enough of a spicy kick to make them a standout side. Whip out your grill pan to give the spuds these stripy grill marks.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potatoes

Yams with Toasted Spice Rub

To complement yams' sweetness, Michael Chiarello applies a homemade spice rub before baking them in the oven. The result? Crispy, blackened yams with perfectly tender insides.

Get the Recipe: Yams with Toasted Spice Rub

Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes

This five-star side dish recipe from Bal Arneson infuses cauliflower and sweet potatoes with the strong flavors of ginger, coriander, cumin and turmeric.

Get the Recipe: Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes

Indian Spiced Sweet Potatoes

Fragrant and rich, this side manages a creamy texture without any cream. At only a half tablespoon of clarified butter per serving, they're not too bad on the calorie count either.

Get the Recipe: Spiced Sweet Potato Mash With Ghee

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Mark Bittman's sweet and spicy salad works well as a flavorful side or vegetarian main, thanks to plenty of protein-packed black beans.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans and Chili Dressing

Stir-Fried Sweet Potatoes

Grating and stir-frying sweet potatoes gives them a different texture, but sage leaves and brown butter sauce give them familiar fall flavor.

Get the Recipe: Stir-Fried Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Sage